International City: Four players called up for Westfield Matildas inaugural Cup of Nations squad

Steph Catley, Lydia Williams, Elise Kellond-Knight and Tameka Butt have all been selected in the Westfield Matildas 23-player-squad to represent Australia at the inaugural Cup of Nations to be held in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne later on this month.

New Westfield Matildas Head Coach Ante Milicic announced the squad for the upcoming tournament ahead of the team’s pre-Cup of Nations training camp in Brisbane, which will commence on Saturday.

Ahead of the tournament, the newly appointed manager highlighted the importance of the Cup of Nations ahead of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

“I am looking forward to all the players and staff arriving in camp and getting to work,” Milicic said. “We will have four great days of training in Brisbane before traveling to Sydney to play New Zealand in the first match of the tournament.”

“It is important that we make the most of the next two weeks that we have together both on and off the pitch. With matches and travel in quick succession throughout the Cup of Nations, this tournament will replicate some of the demands that we will experience at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, which will be a good test for everyone involved.”

The six-match 2019 Cup of Nations will kick-off at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Kogarah on Thursday, 28 February with Argentina playing Korea Republic followed by the Westfield Matildas against New Zealand.

Three days later the Cup of Nations will shift to Brisbane as Argentina and New Zealand go head to head at Suncorp Stadium, before the Westfield Matildas take on Korea Republic in their second match of the tournament. This will mark the first fixture played by the Westfield Matildas in Brisbane since 2014.

Melbourne’s AAMI Park will play host to the third and final match day of the Cup of Nations on Wednesday, 6 March where Korea Republic will take on New Zealand, and Australia will meet Argentina in the last game of the competition.

Westfield Matildas 23-Player Squad | 2019 Cup of Nations

Name

Club, Country

A-International Caps (Goals)

Teigen ALLEN

Melbourne Victory FC, Australia

39 (0)

Laura ALLEWAY

Melbourne Victory FC, Australia

57 (2)

Mackenzie ARNOLD (Gk)

Brisbane Roar FC, Australia

22 (0)

Tameka BUTT

Melbourne City FC, Australia

74 (10)

Eliza CAMPBELL (Gk)

Perth Glory FC, Australia

2 (0)

Ellie CARPENTER

Canberra United, Australia

28 (1)

Steph CATLEY

Melbourne City FC, Australia

69 (2)

Alex CHIDIAC

Atletico Madrid, Spain

14 (1)

Lisa DE VANNA

Sydney FC, Australia

143 (45)

Caitlin FOORD

Sydney FC, Australia

67 (14)

Emily GIELNIK

Melbourne Victory FC, Australia

24 (5)

Princess IBINI

Sydney FC, Australia

5 (0)

Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT

Melbourne City FC, Australia

102 (1)

Alanna KENNEDY

Sydney FC, Australia

74 (6)

Samantha KERR

Perth Glory FC, Australia

72 (27)

Chloe LOGARZO

Sydney FC, Australia

37 (6)

Aivi LUIK

Levante UD, Spain

19 (0)

Teresa POLIAS

Sydney FC, Australia

10 (0)

Clare POLKINGHORNE

Brisbane Roar FC, Australia

112 (9)

Hayley RASO

Brisbane Roar FC, Australia

30 (2)

Gema SIMON

Newcastle Jets FC, Australia

8 (0)

Emily VAN EGMOND

Newcastle Jets FC, Australia

82 (18)

Lydia WILLIAMS (Gk)

Melbourne City FC, Australia

74 (0)

Note: Brisbane Roar FC attacker Allira Toby will train with the squad while the team is in Brisbane ahead of the 2019 Cup of Nations.